While I'm Away
by MouseyWolf
Summary: It's been a few months since Judy's first case on the ZPD. Life is quieter now, and everything is good just the way it is. However, when Judy goes away for a week to a small festival in her hometown, both she and Nick begin to ponder how their friendship has grown, and if they mean more to each other than they originally thought. Does contain Judy X Nick if that wasn't obvious!
1. Chapter 1

Life was good. It'd had been several months since Judy had moved to Zootopia. No more Night Howlers, no more savage animals, just her doing what she loved. Sure, that whole case had been quite the experience, but she preferred to keep her work on a much smaller scale than city wide conspiracies. She also appreciated another new part of her life, her partner, Nick. Sure, when they had first met, he was a total jerk, but as they worked more together, a mutual respect and friendship formed between the two. Now, they were working together every day, and even on their days off they'd try to hang out with one another. She had just about everything she could want really, her dream job, respect from her co-workers, and even a best friend.

Today was just like any other day really, she got dressed, and made her commute from her small home to the ZPD precinct building. However, about halfway there, Judy heard her phone ring. She fumbled around a bit, pulling it out and checking who it came from. Sure enough, it was her Mom and Dad, probably calling to make sure she's okay and safe. Despite their supportive behavior over her career choice, they were still worried sick about her constantly, even more so after they heard that her first case had her dealing with predators going savage and trying to kill her. Sighing a little, Judy answered the phone call. "Hello?" she asked.

"Hey! Jude the Dude!" her Dad cheered, reciting the nickname she'd had since childhood.

"Hi dad" Judy said in a cheery tone.

"So, are you gonna make your way down here tonight?"

"Huh?" Judy asked, a puzzled look spreading over her face "Why should I be heading down? I thought we had planned you guys would come up here next time we met up"

"Oh, you must not have heard, I could have sworn I told you already... Anyways, there's a little festival here in town starting tomorrow, and everybody would just love to see you there!" This would have annoyed Judy, she liked having some semblance of order with her schedule, but in this case she was more excited. She had followed her dreams and is now living the life she always wanted to live, and if she could inspire the young bunnies in her hometown to do the same, she'd be even happier.

"I had no idea! If I had more prior notice, I'd probably already have taken the next, what... three, four days off? I'll check with the Chief, but scheduling is pretty tight. Speaking of, I've gotta go before I'm late! I'll call you around noon with my definite answer! Bye!" Judy hung up the phone and raced to work, not wanting to be scolded for her lack of punctuality.

Once she got there, she instantly bee lined for Chief Bogo's office, hoping she can squeeze out the days off. The stars must have aligned for Judy, because Bogo was in a pretty good mood. Their relationship had greatly improved after that first case, there was an understanding between them that they're both stubborn and if left to their own devices will get the job done. However, not even on their best days did she ever expect to get a full week off for something as trivial as wanting to go to a festival. Yet, there it was, a full week, no paid vacation of course, but she didn't mind, she was just happy to go. Giving the chief a swift salute, she ran off to go meet up with Nick.

The Fox was lounging in a chair, wearing those sunglasses he had adopted to his uniform. One thing Judy had to admit, was that he definitely had the cool and collected persona for the job, and it had already helped when questioning witnesses that weren't open to talk right off the bat. Together, the duo had quickly become the premiere team at the ZPD. "Hows it going Carrots?" Nick asked, sitting up in his seat.

"Pretty good!" Judy replied, noting how almost everyone close to her had a nickname or two for her. "Though you may not be seeing much of me for a little while"

"Pursing your lifelong dream of being a carrot farmer?" He asked, in his always calm sarcastic tone.

"Closer than you think actually, I'm heading home for a week, there's a festival and they wanted me to show up"

"A week huh?" Nick asked, a pensive look creeping on his face "Well, you have fun with that." Judy noticed that Nick seemed a little off, he'd usually make some joke or sound pretty eager, but that felt a little different. She tried to shake the feeling, but something about the way he said it just burrowed deep into her mind. However, she couldn't let anything that trivial bug her all day, so she went straight to a question.

"Is... that okay Nick?"

"Huh? Oh totally, I was just thinking about how sad you'll be not seeing this handsome face for a whole week!" Nick jeered, his signature fox grin showing once again. Judy rolled her eyes a little, tugging on his tie and stiffing a giggle.

"But in all seriousness Carrots, you have fun, I don't want your week long absence to be a total bore for both of us." Judy assured him that she'd have fun, but then, something stuck out once again in her mind, she was beginning to think that this was bugging him more than he let on. Why did he say "both of us"? He could just be setting up some witty comeback again, but Judy felt like there was a bit more behind it. Taking a deep breath, pushing the thought to the back of her brain, she decided that she can ponder on Nick's feelings about her vacation later, but right now that both of them had work to do.


	2. Chapter 2

The day was pretty average for Judy and Nick. They just simply ran a beat, and no major crimes really happened. The only actual excitement they had was a wolf graffiting a wall, and even that ended without much struggle. Their day mostly consisted of the two driving around the city in their cruiser, stopping to get lunch, and just chatting. Even though Judy loved the days full of action where she got to show her worth, she also loved days like these. Just her and Nick, enjoying what they have. Those days where she could just relax and idly chat with Nick felt like paid days off to her, and the fact that she had a friend so close with her on the job she loved filled her with constant glee. Towards the end of the day, their shift ended, and as the pair was finishing up the paperwork from their one arrest today, not much, but still enough for it to be annoying, especially to Nick who out of the blue the silence. "Think the chief's gonna stick me with some temporary partner?"

"Oh, most definitely" Judy grinned, signing the paperwork "You're still a rookie, the baby of the ZPD"

"If I'm not mistaken, you've only got a few months on me yourself Carro-"

"And already have a stellar track record, in fact, it's been said I've become the face of the ZPD" she instantly shot back. Judy tried to hold a straight face, but soon busted out in laughter. Nick grinned patting her on the shoulder.

"Oh definitely the face of a perfect cop, strained with laughter." The pair soon gained their composure, and got ready to head of their respective ways. They chatted for a while, walking down the sidewalk side by side. The sun was just beginning to set over the city, and the rush hour traffic had died into a more mellowed crawl, with the occasional car zooming by. The pair soon came to the part of town where their ways home took different paths, they faced each other, smiling softly. Saying their goodbyes for a week, they parted ways, Nick heading for his small apartment, and Judy to her's if only for a short time. Once there, she quickly packed herself a bag with clothes and other assorted things she'd need for her little excursion home. After fixing herself a small dinner, the rabbit soon made her way to the train station, hopping on taking her seat.

Judy instantly thought back to her first time riding this train, on her way to Zootopia for the very first time. She was so excited then, and also very naive. So much happened in so little time, she hardly felt like the same bunny, but in the best way possible. She slid her earbuds in, and decided to listen to some music to pass the time while riding home. However, the excitement she had on that first ride was absent, so soon sleep overtook her, leaving her balled up in her seat, softly snoring as the train flew by.

With near perfect timing, Judy awoke just as they pulled into Bunny Burrow, it was rather late, almost midnight, and Judy was still quite tired. Letting out a petite yawn, she made her way off the train. Everything here was so much quieter than in the bustling metropolis that was Zootopia, instead of constant bustling and rushing, there was a laid back aura to the town. Judy could have walked the small town blindfolded, so she swiftly made it back to her parent's home despite her tiredness and the dark. Almost instantly she was greeted by tight hugs from her parents, something she had become used to over the years, and even more so during these visits home. Of course, her parents started asking her about how things had been going. She couldn't blame them, her visits were few and far between, and you can only get so much from a video or phone call. After a short bout of questions from her worry wart parents, Judy trudged back to her old room, dropping her bag and flopping onto her bed with a satisfied sigh.

However, sleep did not instantly take her, and she lied there, alone with her thoughts. Strangely enough, the first thing they went to were Nick. She wondered how her partner was doing, was he awake? Was he asleep? Would Bogo give him a temporary partner? Does he miss her? Judy had no idea why she was so fixated on this, he seemed fine all day, and she knew that she was fine all day, so it shouldn't have been a problem. Yet here she was, her mind abuzz with thoughts about Nick, while her body begged for her to sleep. _"Come on Judy... you only just got here and you're already stressing out, relax, you're on vacation!"_ she thought to herself. It seemed as if her internal pleading worked, as the bunny soon drifted back to sleep, a deep, dreamless sleep. Deep down inside of her, she knew that something was different about how she felt. She was depressed, or angry, or anything like that, the feeling she felt was something different, something that she couldn't quite come close to defining yet.


	3. Chapter 3

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 _Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep._

The shrill alarm cut through the silence in the small apartment building, rousing the groggy fox from his slumber. Groaning, he fumbled around, managing to silence the annoying sound. Nick Wilde sat up in his bed, stretching his arms and letting out a pitiful yawn. He hadn't gotten much sleep last night. Some nights he just sat up and thought, the night slowing chipping away at his consciousness. Last night was no different. His mind bounced just about everywhere last night, from work to the past, nothing was off limits on one of his restless nights. But, this wouldn't be the end of the world for Nick, he'd managed to wake himself up after nights like that before.

He hopped into the shower, the scalding hot water already managing to wake him up a little. Nick sighed with relief, he wanted to look his best for Judy. "Oh.." he said out loud to himself, remembering the rabbit wasn't even in Zootopia right now, let alone coming to work today. He'd be flying solo, or paired up with some random officer by Bogo. He chuckled to himself, writing off his disappointment to the grogginess.

After Nick finished up his shower, he quickly slid on his uniform, and grabbed a quick breakfast before heading out the door. He absentmindedly made his way through town, coming to a stark realization. The town looked different to him, there hadn't been many changes in the buildings or infrastructure, but yet, he saw it in a new light. It was a much lighter place. Not everybody was out to get him, and they weren't staring at him, judging him based on who he was. Now, he was sure there was bound to be at least some animal trying to, but the oppressive cynicism he had about Zootopia had mostly diluted. Nick honestly had no idea how he felt about it. Sure, it was nice to not be looking over your shoulder every five seconds out of worries, but it felt like a part of him had changed. He did know one thing for sure about this though, it no doubt stemmed from his new life. Trading the Popsicles for a badge was far easier than he thought, and he had been doing a good job at it too. And, of course, working with Carrots was a plus...

Nick's random wondering came to an end once he found himself in front of the station. Taking a deep breathe, Nick made his way into the building, ready as he could be for work. Idly chatting with Clawhauser for a bit, Nick just tried to pass the time before he got the day's assignment. He usually came in early because Judy came in early, and on her days off he'd usually bump his alarm forward a bit so he'd be just on time. But Nick forgot to do that, and was now a good thirty minutes early, and no partner walking in about the same time to make him feel like it was a good choice by complimenting him. The conversation was mostly one sided, with Clawhauser going off on five different points at once, all between bites of his doughnuts. How this cat had ever become a cop was a mystery to Nick, but that was like the pot calling the kettle black really.

Soon, it was about time for Bogo to assign everyone their duty for the day, so he said his goodbyes to the enthusiastic cheetah and made his was further into the building. Nick took his seat, waiting for the impending news of his temporary replacement partner. However, that would not come today, for Nick had been given the most prestigious job in the ZPD, parking meter duty. Nick sighed, at least he knew it was more out of him lacking a partner than spite from the chief, and the fact that he wouldn't have to trudge along with somebody he might not even like.

Putting on the vest and hat that he had taunted Judy for wearing only a few months ago, he dutifully made his way to go be the best "meter maid" he could muster. His mild enthusiasm however soon faded into absolute complete boredom, mindlessly ticketing cars that sat at expired meters. If Judy were anywhere nearby, he'd probably apologize for ever mocking her while doing this. The thought of that scared Nick, he liked to keep his suave self on the front, and the softer stuff deeper inside, and the fact that his mind instantly went to a meek apology was disheartening. But, as Nick rationalized to himself, meter duty was so soul crushing, that it would drive just about anyone to a sniveling apology to those who suffered before them. Chuckling to himself a little, he carried out his routine, till the merciful time came that his shift was over. The only silver lining being that there wasn't paperwork to fill out.

"I can only hope that the entire week isn't like this" he muttered to himself, plodding back to his apartment. His mind soon trailed off to Judy again, wondering how she was holding up over at her home town. _"Probably having a grand old time"_ he thought _"Carrots is probably laughing and joking with her old friends right now"_ if he had that thought when they first met, he perhaps would have felt jealous or spite over the situation, but, the thought of his partner having fun comforted him a bit, cracking a small and genuine smile as he stepped up the stairs to his one room apartment.

The moment Nick stepped into his little home, he began to change out of his stuffy uniform, and into his much more comfortable clothes. However, despite his tiredness, he still took the time to carefully put up the uniform. By his count, it was the second uniform to ever mater to him, and this one he was going to keep in good shape. He instantly backpedaled in his mind, he hated reminiscing on his childhood. Yet, it somehow clawed its way into his mind from time to time, especially on those restless nights like the one prior. He could only hope that tonight he'd get some good sleep, and that tomorrow he'd avoid working with the parking meters.

Nick skipped dinner that night, he really didn't have much of an appetite, considering both his mood and the fact he had a late lunch while on duty. The fox lied down in his small bed, the springs creaking in protest, but what can you expect from a cheap mattress? Nick's hopes were being realized, for he felt himself fading from consciousness, and going to sleep, his muddled mind fading out to a softer, and happier dream.


	4. Chapter 4

**Thanks again for the continued support and words of encouragement! I really, really am having fun writing this and I'm even more glad seeing you guys enjoy it! Any and all reviews are greatly appreciated!**

Judy woke up in a way she hadn't in some time, from the sun blinding her. Ever since her time time in the academy, Judy Hopps had not once slept in past eight in the morning, but once she checked her small alarm clock, she soon learned it was one in the afternoon. She let out a quiet, resigned groan as she pulled herself up to a sitting position. However, it seemed as if gravity had it out for the young officer, as she instantly collapsed back into her bed with a sigh. She wasn't tired, but she was definitely unable to pull herself out of bed today, so she grabbed her covers and wrapped herself in them.

She didn't feel sick, heck, she hardly ever got sick at all, and if she was, there was plenty of prior notice. In the end, it probably was something dumb like she was still wiped out from the trip, even if her other trips to and from never left her feeling so exhausted. Judy missed work already. Sure, she loved her family and her home, but the thrill and the fun of a day of walking a beat called her like a siren.

After about an hour or so of lying in bed, Judy regained her sense of balance, along with loosing her immense and overbearing grogginess. Feeling practically her normal peppy self, she hopped out of bed and bee-lined straight to the bathroom. In short, Judy looked like a total mess. Her fur was matted and sticking out in places, her eyes bloodshot with slight bags under them, she was a wreck outwardly. "Jeez... one bad night's sleep and I look like a corpse..." she groaned to herself, splashing some water onto her face. That however, did not help much, and the rabbit begrudgingly went to shower.

She tried to rush the shower as much as possible, she'd already slept through the morning, and a good amount of the day at that, and she wanted to go say hi to everyone. Once done, she quickly dried herself, and slipped on a comfortable outfit of shorts and a t-shirt, looking far more presentable than she did moments ago. Judy raced into the living room, hopping onto the couch with a satisfying _plop_. "Morning guys!" she cheered, looking over at her parents who she had just startled with her sudden appearance.

"M-more like afternoon Jude" her Dad said, chuckling once his heart rate stabilized. Judy rolled her eyes, both at the nickname and the subtle hint of sarcasm in her father's voice.

"It was a long trip, I needed to get some rest, I can't keep running forever without crashing sometimes!"

"Good thing it was while on vacation and not on the job, crashing would be very bad if you were chasing some criminal! I mean, you're strong and all but yo-"

"I know Dad, I usually am fine!" Judy interjected, cutting off the worried tirade about to begin. "I get plenty of rest while off duty, and I don't exert myself near as much as you think, not every case is as serious as _that one_." That one. Code for Judy's first case, also known as the single most stressful thing her parents ever heard. That was by far the most cringe worthy phone call she ever made after they finally cracked it. They were already stressed at the mere mention of her riding a rickety old subway car, let alone the Bellwether's attempt to have Nick kill her. They seemed okay at first, if not a little quiet, but by the end of the week, they had express shipped a massive amount of predator repellents and deterrents. She loved her parents, and how much they cared, but she threw it all out, stuff like that only complicated things in the end, she knew that all to well. That day still remained one she deeply regretted, so many things had gone wrong, it spiraled out of control to degrees she couldn't even dare to predict at the time.

"Uh... Judy? Everything all right?" her Mom interjected, snapping Judy out of her thoughts. She looked around a little, very confused.

"O-oh, I was daydreaming wasn't I?" she asked blushing, only just now realizing that she had been reflecting on the past, leaving her parents to just stare at their wistful and somewhat mournful looking daughter. "I was just... thinking on the past, y'know?" she said, to assure both parents and herself. She wasn't quite sure why she was so absent minded today, especially over a topic that she was always rather confident in talking about, considering she lived it and all. But now, she kept reflecting, it was disorienting, but also felt a little good.

Their conversation soon got back on track, her little incident of zoning out swept under the rug in favor of light chatting. By the time Judy actually felt obligated to check the time, it was already seven in the evening, her mom was just starting to prepare dinner. Her time keeping was absolutely abysmal today, it was sort of embarrassing to think about really. One day away from Zootopia and she was already letting the whole day fly away, except that wasn't exactly new. A lot of days flew by for her, days spent in her squad car, next to a certain fox...

Judy blushed, and that made her even more embarrassed. Never had she blushed just merely picturing Nick before, yeah he'd made her blush by making jokes or embarrassing her sure, but just at thinking about him? Never before. It was a little weird, and kind of scary. Judy excused herself from the living room, assuring her mom that she'd come out for dinner shortly. Heading back to her room, she softly closed the door with a sigh. Her phone was lying on her nightstand, and picking it up, she went to her photos.

She came to a photo she took the day Nick graduated from the academy, shortly after giving that speech. The photo had the two of them, grinning ear to ear, both in uniform, practically hugging each other in pride and joy. Judy had never seen Nick that happy before, he was practically walking on air that day, his cool guy persona melting away for a while, he was almost as giddy as a child would be. And looking back on this picture again, she was feeling about the same. Seeing the both of them that happy together was really nice, and a new thought came into her somewhat distracted mind. She wanted to feel that all over again, feel it with him. Realizing the thoughts she was having, Judy set her phone down awkwardly and went to go have dinner, but not before setting that photo as her background.


	5. Chapter 5

Nick could be thankful for one thing today, it was his day off. That being said, the fox had absolutely no shame in sleeping in well past his normal wake up time, first actually getting up and out of his bed at about eleven. However, once up, Nick realized he had absolutely _nothing_ to do today. Days off usually consisted of him watching television alone in his apartment, or hanging out with Judy if she was luckily off on the same day. He decided that despite how boring today would be, he'd have to start it off eventually, so he got up and began his morning routine.

Getting cleaned up and dressed was a decent distraction, while it lasted at least, but now he found himself sitting on his couch, at a complete loss. Sighing, he turned on the television and started flipping through channels. Nothing good was on. Infomercials, reality show reruns, poorly rated comedies, and other uninteresting things plagued the stations. In the end, he settled on a half decent romantic comedy, sitting back and "enjoying" his down time.

The movie's dialogue was dull and predictable, the actors were just phoning it in, and the plot was as trope filled as possible, yet there was some charm to it Nick couldn't describe. Maybe it was just the pure fact that the movie centered on two animals just wanting to be together, Nick related to that. But, he felt that deep down inside, no matter how desperate he felt for the company he was thinking of, there was a good chance she wouldn't care near as much. She's not the one moping around watching lame movies, she's the one out and about, having fun with animals who love her, and who she loves back.

Nick realized with a start that his eyes were watering a little, and he quickly went to wipe away the budding tears. He had no idea why he was having such a reaction, he hardly ever cried, especially over just thinking about his friend. Thankfully, nobody was around to see this crack in his emotional wall, it was just him and his thoughts. But, he almost wanted someone to see it, someone to notice and care.

Instantly, Nick stood up, turning off the television and briskly walked outside. He couldn't handle being alone in here right now, his mind was too muddled, he was just tearing himself apart. So, Nick Wilde began to walk. Not going anywhere in particular, but walking just for the sake of being outside, being away from his cramped and quiet little apartment. The walk was helping, he didn't think much on the state of his relationships, or the state of his psyche, he just simply walked, pushing everything out of his mind, even if it did slip back to thoughts he was trying to forget from time to time.

Would this feeling ever go away? That was by far the most prevalent question bothering Nick whenever his thoughts drifted back to his worries. He hadn't really felt this way before, but now it felt like it was practically constant. The desperate fox pushed the thought back the recesses of his mind, he still didn't want to think on it. Instead, another, seemingly more random, thought entered his head. "I need a phone.' he said out loud, if only to himself.

Before now, he had never thought he'd need one, he got around just fine before, so why shell out the money? But, he'd be able to keep in contact with Judy, even if it were only by quick and spaced out texts, and he wouldn't feel this alone and desperate. But, even if he bought one now, it wouldn't do him much good for the rest of the week. He lost Judy's number weeks ago, he had no reason to keep it safe, because there was no urge to buy a phone. He was kicking himself for being so dumb, even if he didn't want to get a phone, he should have kept it. What if there was an emergency? He could surely use a payphone or borrow one to call her.

That however, was not the case, and the little slip of paper containing his one line to Judy for the rest of the week was still gone. Sure, he could tear apart his apartment in search, but odds are it was gone. Besides, she was busy having fun, he'd just be stealing time away from her vacation. But, once she got back, he'd get a phone, and swallow his pride and ask for her number again, or at the very least weasel it out of her. It only seemed logical to, if only just to have contacts for work. And that was how Nick rationalized his deep urge to have Judy's phone number, business. Despite him knowing perfectly well he mostly wanted it just to be able to say hello whenever he could.


	6. Chapter 6

**Holy crap! I've got over 5000 views on this story! This way overshadows all my views on DeviantArt! But, thanks again so much for all the support and the reviews! I really can't get over how well this is being recieved! Now, less of my yapping and more of the story!**

The next morning fared far better for Judy. She actually woke up at a much more reasonable time, ten in the morning. Seeing that, she sighed a little, sleeping in late was still something she wanted to avoid, she didn't want to get rusty for when she returned. But, at least she was able to get out of bed this time, hopping up to freshen up a little. Breakfast was delicious, she'd never underestimate the value of a home cooked meal over something she quickly popped in the microwave again. After she finished up, she decided to actually go and look around town, she'd been here a day already and hadn't left the home. Besides, it'd be her last chance too before the festival went into full swing, and she wanted to see her home in the way she remembered it, quiet and sleepy.

The weather was fantastic. The sun was shining, and was just the right balance between hot and cool. Not much had changed here, she didn't really take the time to notice last time she visited, her mind was too far in the gutters to even begin thinking about the atmosphere of the town. But, taking the time to look on it, everything was pretty much the same. Small children ran around playing, families sat out on their porches and watched the day lazily pass by. It was nice, peaceful down to every square inch. Yet, something felt different.

Judy knew it wasn't her home, so it had to be her. Had she really changed this much? Yeah, she knew that the academy and living in Zootopia had effects on her, but this different was one she couldn't quite explain. She groaned a little, sitting under the shade of a large oak tree as she admired the landscape. She'd been trying to define this feeling ever since she got here, it was gnawing on her constantly. "C'mon Carrots, you can figure this out..." she said to herself. "Wait... what?" her train of thought jerked to a stop, she was now completely confused. "Did I just call myself... Carrots?"

Once again, a blush spread over her face, instantly stopping the talking to herself in case anybody came nearby. Yet, the fact that she said that still was weird. Carrots was Nick's nickname for her, a nickname that she often responded to with an eye roll or strained laughter. But, there she was, just having referred to herself by it. Somehow, this made it all click for Judy. Her muddled emotions cleared, revealing a truth that deep down she always knew.

It was technically her who was changed after all, but she wasn't the only culprit. All these strange feelings stemmed from one source. Nick Wilde. That fox had done a lot of things with and to Judy in the months she'd known him. He'd taunted her, he'd conned her, he'd helped her, he'd confided in her... so much from just one fox. He still carried this suave air about him, but around her he'd sometimes lower it, letting it slip into a far more relaxed state of being. It was funny, but a former con artist was now probably one of the most genuine animals in her life, she trusted just about everything Nick did. And now? She knew that Nick had done one more thing to her. He'd made her fall in love.

She wanted to deny it, but something in her refused to. She loved Nick Wilde. The hotshot rabbit rookie cop had fallen head over heels for the smooth talking reformed fox. It was a weird image, her and Nick walking side by side, grasping each others paws tightly. Judy chuckled, Nick probably wouldn't be caught dead holding paws, heck he probably wouldn't be caught dead expressing himself romantically in any way. As of right now, the idea was something of a strange and foreign fantasy. Nick probably would never want anything serious out of their relationship, he seemed perfectly happy keeping it on a friends basis. And it would just bring up even more awkward situations here at home. I mean, yeah her parents had an about face on foxes with working with Gideon, but that was working with one, their daughter bringing one home as a boyfriend? That'd be enough to give them both heart attacks.

Giggling at the thought, Judy stood up from under her tree, finally content with what was bugging her. At least, that's what it felt like. Deep down, something more was bugging her, pulling from her core outwards. But right now, that didn't matter, not one bit. She had a crush on Nick Wilde, and despite how far fetched it seemed, it was her little crush. For right now, that was enough for Judy, no need to probe deeper into the issue, at least... she hoped not.

Feeling significantly more energized than before, the young rabbit walked over to her family's farm, deciding to help out a little. For a small town, their little stand was a little busy today. Almost every few minutes another familiar face from her childhood would strike up a conversation with her, asking how the big city was and if she was keeping safe. She had to admit, it was pretty nice playing catch up with all her old friends, the first animals who ever supported her. A deep sense of pride welled up in Judy, she had proven that their faith was well placed.

The day soon dwindled down into a calm twilight, the first stars in the night sky beginning to twinkle overhead. Judy decided to turn in a little earlier than her already rather earlier self instated bed time. Settling down in her cozy little bed, Judy had a small but content smile on her face. It didn't matter what was bugging her deep down, not right now at least, she had figured out what was bugging her the most at the moment, and came out if it with some cute ideas and fantasies. But, as the rabbit drifted to her content, restful sleep a small doubt broke through the surface, if only for a moment.

 _"What if a fantasy isn't enough?"_


	7. Chapter 7

This was far more complicated than Nick thought it would be at first. It seemed so simple at first, everything was laid out to him in a way that seemingly couldn't be misinterpreted. Yet here he was, everything in front of him was a muddled mess. Nick underestimated the complexity of it, he hated the fact that this was getting the best of him. He'd gotten over so much in his life, he'd gotten through his childhood, he survived the streets as a con artist, nearly died a few time on the Night Howler case, and so much more. But now?

How could a phone be so hard to grasp?

Nick decided that even if it'd be a few more days before he could get Judy's number, getting the phone would be the best course of action. After shelling out the cash for a half decent phone, he assumed he'd have it ready to go in no time at all. But that thought quickly was brought crashing down by several setup phases he couldn't grasp for the life of him. Judy would probably be laughing at his dysfunction at this point, taking the phone and setting it up herself. But, it was just Nick and his newest adversary, one he was determined to conquer.

A few hours later Nick was programming his one contact into the cell phone. A sense of meager pride sputtered outward once Nick saw "ZPD Precinct" programmed into the small phone. His only regret was that his only contact _was_ work related, he wanted to chat with someone, that someone being his partner. Mild interest soon devolved into panicked desperation, as Nick got up and began trying to look for that little piece of paper he haphazardly misplaced not so long ago.

So what if Judy was busy having fun at home? She surely could take a moment to text back, to tell him how great of a time she was having. It was desperate, sure, Nick recognized that, but at this point, he wasn't going to bolster pride over something so trivial. He wanted to say hi to Judy. While lifting up the couch cushions, he chuckled at the state he was in. His self pride evaporating into a single, base impulse, an impulse to...

What did Nick want to do? Text Judy was the obvious answer, but was that really what he was looking to do in the end? He played the scenario out in his head, he'd miraculously find that phone number, and then he'd text her. He assumed that he would open up with some obscure phrase, considering Judy would have no idea who was texting her. She'd respond in a confused manner, and he'd keep the act up just long enough to the point she got annoyed and then he'd drop the act.

But, what if she didn't just get confused? What if he upset her? Nick hadn't really put much thought into that whenever he messed with her before. Why was he so concerned about this? Calling her names or teasing her for her size were fine, but the idea of messing with her via that first text felt dirty and low. Putting the couch cushion down, he quietly pondered why a harmless joke felt so weird, when any other joke any other time was fine. It was in interesting situation to say the least. His comedy had always been instinct, a defense mechanism and a way to start a conversation when he didn't have much else to say. But, now it felt off. Searching for his answer, Nick soon came to it, one he wasn't sure was possible before now.

 _He wanted that first text to be special._

Nick blushed weakly upon realizing this strange thought. But, it was definitely true, no matter how dopey or sappy it sounded. Something about this whole phone situation taught Nick something. Taught him something about how he felt about this whole situation, her absence, his mood, Judy herself even. It's funny how something so simple like getting a phone would open a new possibility for him. And, for the first time since Judy left, Nick laughed. It wasn't just a small short chuckle, but a hearty, gut busting laugh. It felt good knowing that he wasn't loosing it, that he wasn't really depressed, that it was all confusion. Not everything was clear yet, and he didn't even know if they would be ever. But Nick was okay with that. He wasn't even remotely ready to look to the future, not that far at least. But the now was all starting to sort itself out, not entirely, but it was definitely starting too.

With this newfound confidence, Nick went to putting the cushions back on his couch, he could wait for the phone number, it wasn't absolutely necessary anymore to have it. He could hold himself up, or at least he thought so, until she got back. But he did know he was going to get that phone number. He'd probably sneak it, weasel it out from her in some way or other. And one night, probably around the time she's just heading to bed, he'd text her. And Nick Wilde new exactly what he was going to text her.

"Hey Carrots, I think I love you"


	8. Chapter 8

_6:45 AM._

A deep sense of accomplishment welled up in Judy. She felt great today, amazing even, and seeing herself catching up to her normal wake up time was just icing on the cake. Judy finally had a spring in her step again, her little revelation yesterday had done wonders on her nerve riddled mind. She now could just carry on, a cute little fantasy nestled in her mind, contented in its secondary placement.

Judy couldn't wait for festival today. She was finally in the mood to just relax and chat with all her old friends and family, she didn't have doubts or fears clogging her enjoyment. She sped through breakfast, once her parents woke up about an hour later that is, and rushed outside. Bunny Burrow was a lot more busy than usual, not nearly as congested and bustling as Zootopia, but for so many of the residents of the small town to be up and about so early was a strange sight.

It was almost like her two lives were colliding in a strange way, the quiet calmness of her childhood combining with the controlled chaos of her current life. Judy had no idea how true the "controlled chaos" label was at that moment, blissfully carrying on with her romp through town. Her mind didn't dwell on the insanity that was Zootopia, the constant noise and bustling for long. But, as with many things that had been weighing on Judy recently, a part of it clung to her mind, a resilient nagging feeling that made a dull droning feeling of doubt. But, that small droning for the moment remained just that, small.

She spent most of the day just enjoying her surroundings. Judy was hopping from stall to stall, making idle small talk with just about anyone. It was nice, just letting the day slip away while she just chatted. There weren't any worries, no real problems, just Judy and her old friends. Time always seemed to fly by when things got like this, Judy wouldn't notice an hour slipping by while chatting with her old schoolteacher, or another hour when catching up with Gideon and asking about his business. These hours soon added up, and when Judy looked up at the sky, it was already a muted orange.

The fact that she had chatted the day away really didn't phase Judy, she had been enjoying herself. Her highlight of the day had to be talking with a few of the younger animals in town, telling stories about her childhood and her time at the academy. Seeing their little eyes light up and inspirations spark made her happy, it reminded her of herself in a way. But now, the festival was quieting down for the day, and Judy started walking back to her parents' home.

As Judy was making her way back, she noticed a familiar figure approaching her. A smile spread across Judy's face as she went to go meet them. It was one of Judy's closest friends from her childhood. The two instantly hugged each other, it was the first time they really saw each other since Judy left for the academy, they really hadn't done the best jobs in keeping up. But now, the two were chatting again, sitting down at a bench and just chattering.

Judy talked about the Night Howler case, and meeting Nick, and every other minute thing that had happened in the past several months. Her friend listened to it all, eagerly nodding and holding on to every word. After a while, Judy winded down in her story, catching her friend up in everything. And then, in return, her friend started to tell her story. She recounted being sad after Judy left, and kind of just moping around for a while. But then, she met a male bunny. The two hit it off almost instantly, they were insanely alike, and soon started to date. Only a few weeks ago, he had popped the question to Judy's friend, their wedding was scheduled for three months from now.

"Judy? A-are you okay?" the friend asked worriedly, grabbing Judy's paws gingerly. Judy looked at her friend confused, only just realizing the tears strolling down her eyes. The moment she noticed this, the tears only streamed faster and harder.

"Y-yeah, I'm fine! I'm j-just so happy for you, I can't control my emotions!" Judy stammered out, choking back a sob, "I'll see you soon! C-congratulations!" With that Judy scampered off, tears still flowing down her cheeks. She soon reached her home, rushing in and swiftly slamming the door to her room behind her. Her confidence and happiness that drove her today had crumbled. But why?

Everything had been happy today, great even. She had caught up with friends, gotten to know people better, but yet she felt terrible right now. It felt wrong, and as Judy curled up meekly in a ball on her bed, it only felt worse. But, Judy couldn't lie to herself. She knew exactly why she felt terrible, why hearing that her friend was getting married was in an amazing relationship.  
 _  
She wanted that._

She wanted so badly to have a relationship that good. To be able to just be with someone and be happy. The idea was her deepest desire as of right now. She was already living her dream as a cop, but now she wanted to live the dream off the job too. Judy wanted that companionship.

 _Judy wanted Nick._

Judy realized a fantasy isn't enough. Daydreaming about Nick doting on her was not going to hold her over forever. She needed to at least try and express her feelings. "If only that dumb fox had a phone..." she groaned, wiping her tears away. Judy felt better already, a resolve welling up within her. She was heading home tomorrow night, after the last day of the festival, and then she'd... She'd tell him. She'd just run up to him, and hug him. It didn't matter who would be around them, how he'd react. She was just going to come out and say it.

"Nick Wilde, I think I'm in love with you"


	9. Chapter 9

There it was. Just sitting there in front of him, it would be so simple. Nick honestly couldn't believe that he found that little slip of paper, tucked inside of the manual he received at the academy. He didn't remember sliding the number in there, but yet there it was, ironically on the front page, the page that Judy had left a message on when he first started.

 _"I know you can do it! Just keep pushing yourself, and you can be anything you want to be! -Judy"_

Nick traced over the message with his paw, sighing happily. That was both the hardest and happiest time of his life. He never had pushed himself that hard before, but he worked so hard then, he was determined to prove Judy right, and prove everybody else wrong. And he had, he was an officer, he had made it. And now, he also knew that he wanted to be with Judy. So, shakily, Nick picked up his phone.

He had to retype the number several times, his shaky paws missing numbers a good three or four times before he had it. Nick now had his second contact "Carrots". Taking a deep sigh, he opened up the messenger.

The text was typed out. Word for word it was sitting there, all ready to be sent straight to Judy. Sweating a little, Nick checked the time. 9:40 PM, Judy would be on her way home about now, unless she decided to just wait until morning to leave. But, last time they talked, Judy said tonight. This left Nick with two options.

He could send his text like planned, probably confuse Judy in the process. Then she'd either text him back, or they'd see each other at work the next day and discuss it. It would be quick and easy, like ripping off a bandage, with one quick tap of his phone he'd have laid his feelings out in front of her. The ball would be in her court. Yet, even though this was his original plan, it felt like he might not want to do that anymore.

His second option was to get up right now, put on something a little more presentable, and go. Go straight to the train station and meet her right as she got off. He'd run up, greet her, and then give her a big hug. He'd forget acting cool and collected, and just enjoy being with her. She'd probably start stammering and blushing, maybe even wriggling out of the hug. But Nick wouldn't care, he'd just hug her, embarrassing both of them in the process.

If he was going to make a decision, he'd have to do it now. So he sat there, never feeling more indecisive in his life. For a split second, he almost thought of just calling it all off, not doing anything at all. But that felt wrong. Nick couldn't just bottle something like this, something he had just come to terms with. He loved Judy, and he needed to let her know. The possibility of her not caring, or getting uncomfortable was there, it was weighing on him, but yet he couldn't let that dictate his life.

His whole life had been dictated by things like that. His doubts about how people would accept him led him down the path of being a con artist, he was giving the world what he was afraid they wanted from him. But Judy had shown him otherwise. She taught him to not let doubts and others chain you down, and now it only seemed fitting he put that to practice once again. But how?

Taking a deep breath, mustering all his courage and strength, Nick decided to go with both. He hit send on the text, and without even checking to see if she saw it yet, put the phone down. He shot up from his seat, changing out of his current outfit to something a bit nicer. His shirt didn't have a stain on it anymore and he actually was wearing pants now. He grabbed the phone, not noticing the one new notification on it, and rushed out the door.

Nick was terrified. So many things could go wrong right now it wasn't even funny. His entire state of being hinged on this night, these next several minutes held everything. It was going to end in either disaster, or with something great. But, Nick didn't have time to dwell on such things, not right now. He could dwell on this later, right now, he needed to get to the train station before that train pulled in, he need to get to Judy. So with that, Nick made his way across town, a terrified yet excited fox with only one thing on his mind.

Her.


	10. Chapter 10

**Hey everybody! This one is kinda short, but the next one should be longer. Also, the next chapter is the** ** _last_** **chapter for While I'm Away. But, if you really like the story, don't worry! I'm already working on ideas for the sequel story. It's just that While I'm Away was designed to set up their relationship within this week long period, so now that the week is coming to a close, it's only right that this story comes to a close too. I'll have more details on the sequel when I put up the final chapter. But enough of my blabbing! If you have any questions, PM me! Or leave a review if you have a thought! It's time to get back to the story already! X3**

The ride home was quiet, the train chugging on and on without much splendor. Judy was tired, she had had a long day. Not that long meant bad, Judy's day was amazing. She spent all day without so much as a single doubt messing with her mind. It was just Judy spending time at the festival again, it was nice.

But soon, the festival came to a close, and Judy said her goodbyes once more. Her parents were as always reluctant to let go, but they knew Judy had to go back to Zootopia. She had considered telling her parents about her newfound infatuation, but that was something for another day.

One day she'd tell her family about Nick, about the animal she had come to love, but right now she needed to tell Nick about the feelings. So the mixture of sleepiness along with her worries about how Nick was going to take everything messed with Judy, she kept slipping in and out of sleep and hearing things.

Ding.

Judy opened her eyes slowly, recognizing the notification noise on her phone. At first she was going to write it off as her mind playing tricks on her, but sure enough, there was a message on her phone. The number wasn't familiar to Judy, but it did have a Zootopia area code.

Curious, Judy opened the text and read it. She soon sighed, closing the text after telling the person looking for "Mr. Wolfe" had the wrong number. The rabbit looked outside the window, the dusky landscape stretching out so far she couldn't make out where it ended.

This immense vastness of the visible world was hypnotizing, and the bunny soon found herself drifting off once again. Within minutes, Judy was curled up in her seat, quietly snoring as she began to drift deeper and deeper into sleep.

Ding.

Judy groaned as the notification roused her from her sleep. Another unknown Zootopia number, probably some absent minded housewife who mistyped a number. Shrugging, she opened the text, reading it as she wiped her eyes.

"Hey Carrots, I think I love you."

Judy must have been dreaming. There was no other explanation. First off, Nick had no phone. Secondly, Nick doesn't just send or say things like that. But, after pinching herself several times, Judy realized this was absolutely real.

Her paws were shaking, her whole body was shaking. She was both terrified and elated. She sent back a response text.

"Nick?"

She couldn't think of much else to respond with, she couldn't think of much at that moment. Judy had just received the greatest text ever. For a split second the possibility of it being a joke, but when it came to things like this, she didn't think that Nick would joke about something so serious. Yet, this was Nick…

"Nick Wilde. If you aren't at the train station when I get home I will KILL YOU."

Was Judy being a little rash? Yes, yes she was. But did she care? No, no she didn't. Nick Wilde said that he loved her. If this was a joke, there'd be a new resident at Zootopia General Hospital. If this was serious, well, Judy was going to be so happy.

The train soon pulled into the station. Judy boomed out of her seat, grabbing her back and sprinting off. It was coming down to this. She'd have it all figured out. Everything would be laid out in front of her and Nick. Answers would be given, doubts would be confirmed or discarded.

It all was coming down to this. Judy made her way off the train, looking around feverishly for a specific fox. There had been no response to ger texts, and as the seconds turned to minutes, Judy began to feel worried. She couldn't find him. He wasn't anywhere. She was alone.

"CARROTS!" shouted a familiar voice, the loud nickname echoing through the train station. Before Judy could react, she felt two arms wrap around her tightly. She was lifted off the ground slightly, a deep crimson blush coating her face. Looking at the animal holding her, all of Judy's worries faded. Nick was holding her tightly, tears glistening in his eyes. She'd have made some comment on it, if her eyes weren't just as watery.


	11. Chapter 11

**Wow! Here we are, the final chapter! I'd like to thank everyone of you once again for all the support in writing this. Every review, every favorite, and every follow really made me happy. But now it's time for this week for Nick and Judy to come to a close. Be sure to keep your eyes open for the sequel story. It will be called While I'm With You, and will be up soon. Either keep your eyes peeled of just subscribe/follow to get an email when it's up. Now, back to the story!**

The pair walked down the street, a brisk autumn breeze about the air. Judy and Nick had exchanged their energetic hug for a much more somber holding of paws. They got a few strange looks, but they didn't care, not one bit. They had each other, they didn't need anything else, least of all the approval of random strangers. Ever since they left the station, the two had been talking nonstop. It was even better than they had remembered, just enjoying what the other had to say, holding onto every single word.

After a while of walking, Nick led Judy to a small coffee shop, getting them both a drink and heading back out into the night. Judy sipped daintily on the huge cup of coffee, she he insisted in them both getting large coffees was beyond her. But, she wasn't going to complain, it tasted good, and the brew was keeping her wide awake and perky. Not that she needed much help though, this whole night was making her wired awake, and she loved it.

Nick grinned as he took a long sip of his drink. The coffee was already making him feel far more awake, especially since the adrenaline had worn off from the initial meet up. But now he was wide awake again, Judy looked about the same at this point. There she was, smiling warmly, smiling at him. He really couldn't believe how well this had gone, he was still pinching himself to make sure it wasn't a dream. Thankfully, it wasn't.

They kept walking, merely just soaking up every aspect of this night. The both of them couldn't grasp the simplicity of everything that happened this night. Both had spent the week stressing over love and how futile it felt. Judy thought that her love would be confined to a mere fantasy forever, where Nick thought that Judy would just never have any interest and leave it at that. The doubts had ate away at them, made them cry, made them feel inadequate. But all that faded away within a single moment, a moment punctuated by a loving hug.

Soon, their walk came to the point where they'd have to split up, take their own separate paths to their own separate homes. "So uh, I guess this is goodnight..." Judy muttered bashfully.

"Not necessarily Carrots" Nick chided, grinning as he tussled the fur on Judy's head "Who says you cant spend the night? My place is big enough." Nick blushed right as he said it. Was he to forward? Was he pushing things to fast? Was he just being weird and confusing Judy? Looking down at the bunny, she had a deep red blush on her face and was averting her gaze. "Um, I-I'm sorry Carro-"

"I'd like that a lot..." she sputtered out "I-If you're sure you're okay with it that is!" The two looked at each other for a short while, before bursting out into laughter. Once again, the two had gotten worked up over worrying for the other. Confidence restored, Nick firmly took Judy's paw once again, throwing away his now empty cup of coffee.

Soon, the two were standing in the doorway of Nick's apartment. Letting out a small, yet noticeable yawn, Judy strolled in, dropping her small suitcase on the floor casually. Nick chuckled "And here I thought you'd be some kind of neat freak!" Judy stuck her tongue out at Nick playfully, looking around the kind of dark apartment. Despite it being at least twice as big as her place, it somehow felt more cozy, almost like it was smaller than it really seemed. He didn't have much decoration, save for the odd photo and poster. Nick excused himself to go use the restroom, and Judy continued her small tour of the apartment.

Once Nick got out, Judy was nowhere to be seen. Curious, Nick looked around for his small girlfriend. Upon realizing the label he had just used for Judy, Nick smiled sheepishly, feeling lucky that the first time he thought about it that it wasn't vocalized. Within a few moments, he found Judy. The rabbit was curled up in his bed, already under the blankets. Blushing, Nick entered his room, sitting on the edge of the bed. Almost instantly, she scooted over, motioning for Nick to get under the covers with her.

Shrugging playfully, Nick obliged. Nestling into the bed, he came to the realization that he wanted this every night. Him and her, together. Sudden warmth developed on his side, as he noticed Judy cuddling against him, letting out a petite and content sigh. "Somebody's happy" he said playfully, wrapping his arm around her shoulders.

"Happier than I've been in a long time, maybe even happier than ever..." she replied.

"I'd have to agree with you on that one Carrots"

"Crap, we have work tomorrow don't we?" she groaned, realizing she did not have her uniform or anything. Nick however grinned, holding up Judy's phone triumphantly. He went to open it, briefly marveling over the background she had set of the two of them, before easily swiping it open.

"You'd think a cop would password lock her phone!" he giggled, already typing the text message.

"H-hey! What do you think you're doing Nick! Stop it! Everything on there is priva-" Nick held up the phone, showing Judy the text message.

 _"Hey chief, I got sick yesterday at the festival, one of the little bunnies gave me their cold. I'm probably going to be out of commission all day, and Nick offered to_ help make sure I'm okay. See you on Tuesday."

Judy chuckled, rolling her eyes a little "You clever fox..."

"I aim to please!" He giggled handing over the phone. And with that, the two simply lied there, curled up close to each other, enjoying the mere fact that they were there together. Despite all doubts, all fears and worries, they had made it together. It was not just a fantasy, they loved each other. Judy soon found her self drifting off into sleep, she desperately tried to cling to consciousness, not wanting the moment to end.

"Nick, will you always be there for me, even while I'm away?" she asked sleepily.

"Always. But, you know what?" Nick replied instantly.

"What?" she asked blushing, not sure where this was gong.

"You'll never have to worry about that, because I'm going everywhere with you. That little bunny festival sure is going to be interesting next year isn't it?" Judy giggled, not quite ready to burst his bubble and mention that they're already used to having a fox walking around with Gideon and his family, but right now it didn't matter. Letting the sleep take her, she rolled over a little, wrapping her arm around Nick lovingly right before drifting off.

Nick smiled, not complaining over the shift in position. "See ya in the morning Carrots, I'll be sure to make it a good one." Judy let out a small and quiet snore in response, nuzzling him in her sleep. Following suit, Nick soon found himself falling asleep as well. The two lied there, never had either had such a good sleep.

There would be hardships, what with their line of work and the sheer species gap between the two. But why would that matter to them now? The hard part was over, they had found each other. And now that they had each other, nothing was going to stand in there way. Fox and bunny, Nick and Judy, two cops, two friends, one couple. It didn't matter what label anyone gave them. As long as it was a label they shared, it was good enough for them.


	12. Author's NoteUpdate

**Hiya everybody! It's Amber here, and someone had the idea to make an Author's Note to tell everbody when the new story was up!**

 **Well, I decided to make a short little prologue summing up the events between my last story and the new one!**

 **So, if you want to go see it...**

 **Here you go!**

 **s/11853719/1/While-I-m-With-You**


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